Carolinas Aviation Museum

While in Charlotte, your student group would be remiss without a visit to the Carolinas Aviation Museum.

The Charlotte Airport, in which the museum is now located, was constructed in 1936-37, consisting of two buildings. The administration building, a beacon tower, two 3000-foot runways and one 2500-foot runway made up the extent of the facilities. On May 17, 1938, Eastern Airlines flew the first commercial flight out of the airport and in 1941, the Army Air Force took control. The museum was established in 1994 for the preservation of history and the promotion of educational exhibits covering the 40,000 square foot space.

There are several interesting aircraft on display at Carolinas Aviation Museum for visitors to explore. One of the planes, the Douglas A-4A Skyhawk, was designed to carry a nuclear bomb which is why it stands so high off of the ground. It could carry its own weight in weapons and was highly maneuverable as a WWII carrier. Another interesting aircraft on display is the D-55-8-1 Skystreak, an extremely rare and unique aircraft designed as a research aircraft to test alternative engine and design configurations near the speed of sound. It is one of two that exist in the world and could travel at a blazing speed of 441 miles per hour.

The Wright Flyer can also be found here, the famous craft designed by Orville and Wilbur Wright. It was developed as a result of years of research, it was the first piloted, heavier than air craft to obtain sustained, controlled flight in 1903. The aircraft had a total of four flights ranging in duration from 12 seconds to 59 seconds.

Your student group will learn facts like these, and much more, with a fascinating visit to the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte!